Author
Topic: LAT Tue. 6/5 C.C. Burnikel (Read 835 times)

Good Ones:iPad feature? LONGI [and lower case]Like one who errs? HUMAN [“to err is human…”]Theme: Writers who use the initial J- to replace their full first names

By the Way:Six J’s in a 15x15 puzzle may be a record.

Who knew?:JJAMBRAMS created a TV show about an island, or that there was such a show, or that there was a JJABRAMS. [guessing the show was Gilligan’s Island]

Some Nits to Pick:Yours, in Cognac ATOI [I’d clue it for the letters "A to I"]

Like most honeymooners MARRIED [“most” suggests some honeymooners are not married which changes the definition of honeymooners {it would be incorrect to refer to a newly elected politician, say, as a honeymooner even though he could “still be on a honeymoon.”} Oddly, in trying to be "safe" in our times of changing traditions, writers and publishers who earn their incomes from wordsmithing would rather be "wrong" than perceived by someone to be "unaware" or "insensitive."]

RATING: Three grins = Loved it; Two grins = Enjoyed it; One grin = A bit bland for my taste; One teardrop = Not much fun

It's admittedly childish and egocentric, but what I know seems obvious and what I don't know seems arcane. But, Marya, how did you know J.J. Abrams? Was his name prominently featured in the credits? And Lost(which I have never seen) is not, after all, Mad Men (Mathew Weiner).

I know, I know, some things just happen to stick, but really, aside from you and Mrs. Abrams, who knew?

I was a big fan of Alias, which introduced me to J.J. Abrams. His name is prominently displayed during the credits, but I would have looked for it anyway. If I really like a series, I'll keep an eye out for more series or movies from that creator.

So when Lost came out, I started watching it because J.J. Abrams was involved. And indeed, although it did have some problems, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. Lost was certainly very popular, so I don't think J.J. Abrams is too obscure.

In contrast, I haven't seen a single episode of Mad Men. So I wouldn't recognize names for that show... I wouldn't consider such names too obscure, though, because I'm aware that it's a popular series.

I hardly ever recognize sports-related names, and I'm not thrilled when they come up. There are almost always a few entries in a puzzle that I don't recognize - and in which I have zero interest! But I still think it's fair that they're there, as long as they aren't too obscure.

I also enjoy relatively obscure crossword-ese entries like OGEE, which I'm pretty sure I've never seen used, even in a museum. I know some people hate that kind of thing... but some people love it!

Actually as a woodworker I make ogee moldings with a router and, of all things, an ogee bit!

I agree with you about obscurity. J.J. Abrams as you have shown is not obscure in the sense that it should not be in a Xword puzzle. I'm certain I don't know a quarter of the names in Who's Who or a tenth of places in a gazetteer. So it's all grist for the mill. (And, as in the case of Eloi, crossword jargon has popularized the "obscure" by frequent use in puzzles.) Of course, just what is obscure tends to be subjective, as with ogee.

My Who Knew? section is about my nescience, not whether an entry is too obscure for use. (Philosophically, nescience is lack of knowledge one would not be expected to have; ignorance is lack of knowledge one should have.)